Pub operators fined more than £20,000 for loud music

6 March 2025 Ray Bonsall

Dockers Inn Ltd were fined over £20,000 for causing noise nuisance to residents with loud pop music.

A pub which was causing a nuisance to residents by playing music too loudly has been fined £20,000 after Tower Hamlets Council took them to court.

A resident living near to the Dockers’ Inn in Wapping complained to the Council several times about the loud pop music with a heavy bass which was being played from the venue.

Officers from the Environmental Protection Noise Team confirmed the music from the venue was too loud.

Despite several letters and visits from Tower Hamlets Council’s Environmental Protection Noise and Licensing Teams and an Environmental Protection Act 1990 legal notice being served on the pub operators, the loud music noise continued.

The Council’s Environmental Protection (Noise) Team took the company operating the pub, Dockers Inn Ltd, to court on 21 January 2025 and they were convicted in their absence for noise nuisance.

Sentencing took place on 18 February and the company was fined £17,000 and told to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £1,299.

Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: ‘We want Tower Hamlets to be a vibrant place to live, work and visit, but establishments which cause a nuisance to local residents will not be tolerated.

I encourage anyone who is struggling with inconsiderate noise to report this to the council so we can look into it.’

If you liked this read Tower Hamlets reopens council-run MOT test station.

Please support local journalism.

As a social enterprise using constructive journalism to strengthen communities, we have not put our digital content behind a paywall or subscription fee as we think the benefits of an independent, local publication should be available to everyone in our area.

We are a tiny team of four covering Poplar and Tower Hamlets, relying entirely on member donations. Hundreds of members have already joined. Become a member to donate as little as £3 per month to support constructive journalism and the local community.

Donate